Method of making print rolls



March 6, 1951 J. M. GOULDING 2,544,455

METHOD OF MAKING PRINT ROLLS Original Filed Oct. 31, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet1 IN V EN TOR.

Jose vHM Gouldairy March 6, 1951 J. M. GOULDING 2,544,455

METHOD OF MAKING PRINT ROLLS Original Filed Oct. 51, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR. Josep RM Gouldzln March 6, 1951 J. M. GOULDING METHOD OFMAKING PRINT ROLLS Original Filed Oct. 31, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR.

J0 sap ZuM. 60 aiding Patented Mar. 6, 1951 METHOD OF MAKING PRINT ROLLSJoseph M. Goulding, Fairhaven, Mass., assignor to Revere Copper andBrass Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of MarylandApplication October 31, 1945, Serial No. 625,846, which is a division ofSerial No. 540,040, June 13, 1944. Divided and this application August21, 1947, Serial No. 769,921

7 Claims.

My invention relates to methods of makin print rolls, the presentapplication being a division of my copending application Serial Number625,846, filed October 31, 1945, now Patent No. 2,501,630, whichapplication is a division of my copending application Serial Number540,040, filed June 13, 1944, now Patent No. 2,501,629.

The invention, which has among its objects a method of making a printroll of lighter weight,'

and less expensive construction and manufacture, than prior print rolls,will be best understood from the following description of severalembodiments of the invention, while the scope of the invention will bemore particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section on the lines ll of Figs. 4 and 5, withparts in elevation, of a print roll made by a method according to theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the print roll Fig. 3 is a more or lessdiagrammatic illustra- :ion of a step of a method according to theinven- Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, sections on the according toFiglines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section, corresponding to Fig. 4, of a modifiedform of print roll made by a method according to the invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary transverse section, corresponding to Fig. 6, onan enlarged scale;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section, corresponding to Fig. 4, of a furthermodified form of print roll made by a method according to the invention;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary transverse section, corresponding to Fig. 8, onan enlarged scale;

Fig. 10 is a plan of a lamination employed for the core of a stillfurther modified form of print roll made by a method according to theinvention;

Fig. 11 is an isometric view of a fragment of the length of a keyemployed in the print roll having the laminations according to Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a transverse section, corresponding to Fig. 4, of themodified print roll having the laminations according to Fig. 10 and thekey according to Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a more or less diagrammatic fragment of a transverse sectionof the print rolls according to Figs. 4 and 12 on an enlarged scale;Fig. 14'is a more or less diagrammatic fragmentary section on the linel4-l4 of Fig. 13;

: Fig. lfi'illustra'tes a step in a methodof making sition, have beenalmost exclusively made of a solid mass of copper pierced to receive themandrel on which the roll is mounted. Such rolls, although on the wholesatisfactory, nevertheless have the defect of employing a large amountof the relatively expensive and strategic metal copper, which latterbeing the heaviest of common structural metals except lead causes theprint roll to be of objectionably great static weight, and, when rapidlyrotated in the printing machine, to be subject to objectionably largerotative inertia and frequently to objectionable dynamic unbalance. Themanufacture of such prior rolls, in order to secure copper of structuralcharacteristics permitting satisfactory engraving, and secure copper ofsufiiciently homogeneous density to minimize in so far as is possibledynamic balance, has heretofore involved hot forging a copper billet,piercing it, and then extruding it over an arbor to shape it and form akey or keyway for splining it to the mandrel. Such manufacture not onlyinvolves expensive operations, but requires the use of expensiveequipment. Thus, because of high material and labor costs, and highcapital investment for specially designed equipment, and the cost ofmaintenance of the latter, print rolls have heretofore been producedonly at a relatively high cost to the user. The present inventionovercomes these defects and objections in the ways hereinafter setforth.

Referring particularly to Figs 1, 2, 4 and 5, the print roll illustratedcomprises an outer shell i of copper or high copper content copper basealloy, the shell preferably being constituted by a drawn or extrudedseamless tube of requisite external diameter. This tube, whichpreferably comprises the only copper included in the roll, may havewalls about inch thick. As shown, supporting the shell on the mandrel 3is a core formed of a series of contacting laminations 5,

each end of the core being provided with enddisks 1, preferably ofsteel, which are connected by steel or other metallic tie rods 9extending through the laminated core and the end disks.

The mandrel 3 is preferably tapered to permit it readily to be removedfrom the print roll and a new mandrel inserted. Such taper however needbe very slight as, for example, that correspending to a reduction of0.0035 inch in diameter of the mandrel for each inch of length thereof.Preferably also, the core, but not the end disks, is keyed to themandrel, the latter for this purpose in the form of the inventionillustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 4 and being provided with the longitudinallyextending keyway ll, while the laminations of the core contacting themandrel are each integrally formed with a projecting tablike portion l3(Fig. 4) extending into the man drel receiving bore of the lamination,the portions l3 of the series of adjacent laminations collectivelyforming a continuous longitudinally extending key fitting into thekeyway of the mandrel.

As best illustrated in Figs. l, 2, fl and 5 all the laminations of thecore need not contact the mandrel. To this end, as best illustrated inFig. 1, groups of adjacent laminations may have a bore I4 larger thanthe diameter of the mandrel to form annular recesses surrounding themandrel, which laminations when such recesses are present are keyed tothe mandrel only at the portions of the core between the recesses andbetween them and the end disks. The employment of these recesseslightens the core and simplifies its manufacture.

The core shown by Figs. 1, 4 and 5 is provided adjacent its peripherywith longitudinally extending openings ll of considerable angular extentsymmetrically spaced with relation to the tie rods 9. These openings orslots serve further to reduce the weight of the core, and, beingpositione'd adjacent the periphery of the core, act to reduce therotative inertia of the print roll, and further act to cause the shellto be secured to the core as will hereinafter be explained. The laminations may be formed with slots of the crosssectional shape of theseopenings, and, when the laminations are assembled to form the core, thealignedslots collectively form such openings.

The laminations of which the core is formed are of light weight materialsuch as sheet aluminum. Cardboard also may be employed which, althoughin some respects not perhaps as satisfactory a material as aluminum, isstill lighter and less expensive. Sheet mild steel, which also islighter than copper, may also be'employed in some instances. Thelaminations preferably are thin, although their thickness is not at all'criti-' cal. Whenaluminum or mild steel is employed for the laminationsa thickness of about 1% inch, and when cardboard is employed a thicknessof about inch, has been found to give satisfactory results. i v

When aluminum or steel laminations are employed they arepreferably keyedto the mandrel in the above described way illustrated by Figs. 1 and 4.However, when cardboard laminations are employed it has been found thatthe projecting portions I3 of the laminations, Which in the assembledprint roll collectively f'orm keys, are liable to break during thepunching operation for forming the laminations, or in assembling them.Consequently, when cardboard laminations are employed, they arepreferably keyed to the mandrel in the way illustrated by Figs. 10, 11and 12, according to which the mandrel receiving bore IQ of eachlamination contacting with the mandrel in the assembled roll is formedwith a notch 2| preferably V-shaped, while inserted in the keyway H ofthe mandrel 3 is a key 23 of such cross-sectionalshapeand dimensions asto provide, when so inserted, a longitudinally extending V-shapedportion 25 prajeet-in'griom the mandrel, this V-shaped portion being ofshape complementary to the notch 21 and serving to key the laminatedcore to the mandrel in the assembled roll.

Preferably, in making the print roll according to Figs. 1, 2,- 3 and 4,or the modified print roll according to Figs. 10, 11 and 12, thelaminations are first stamped out to the shapes illustrated and the enddisks 1 are formed and the tie rods 9 cut to the proper length. Asformed the end disks preferably are provided with bores 2'! (Figs. 1 and15) for receiving the tie rods, which bores at the outer faces of thedisks are preferably countersunk as illustrated at 29. With suchconstruction the tie rods may be secured to the end disks by fusionwelding which melts the projecting ends of the tie rods down into thesecountersink's', or the countersinks may be filled by a welding operationwith separate weld metal which unites the tie rods to the end disks.

According to one method of making the print roll,- one end disk isplaced on the upper horizontal face of the bed 3I (Fig. 15) of ahydraulic press,- preliminary to which one of the ends of each tie rodis secured to that end disk in one of the ways above explained so thatthe tie rods project upwardly from said bed. Through the mandrelreceiving bore 33 of this end disk is placed a vertically extendingmandrel form 35, which as illustrated in Fig; 15 extends into and restsupon the bottom of a recess 31 in the bed 3| of the press. The mandrelform 35 is shown as provided with a keywaycorresponding to the key way Hof the mandrel to be used with the finished roll. This keyway in themandrel form may contain a key corresponding to th key 23 (Fig. 11) ornot depending upon which of the Ways above described the 'mandrel'is tobe keyed to the finished roll. Preferably, also, the mandrel form isslightly tapered upwardly as shown in Fig. 15 to correspond withthe'taper of the mandrel to be used with the print roll. Thelamihation's forming the core 5 are then slipped, say one by one, overthe upper ends of the mandrel form and tie rods. When sufficientlaminations are thus assembled to secure'a core 'of the desired lengththe upper end disk I is'slip gied over themandrel form and tie rods, and'a sleeve 39 having a bore for receiving the mandrel form is placed onthat end disk, whereupon the plunger head 4| of the press is caused todescend upon the upper end of the sleeve 39 and compress thelaminatlons. While the laminations are thus pl'e'ced under pressure thehead 'll of the press is locked in position and the upper projectingends of the tie rods 9 ar cut off and welded to the upper end disks inone of the ways above described, whereupon upon removal of the pressureof the head ii on the core the latter will be maintained undercompression by the tie rods. When the length of the roll is such as tomake it necessary the laminations on the mandrel form and tie rods maybe subjected to pressure to compact them whe 'the core is partiallybuilt up, and several such compacting operations may be necessaryas thecore is gradually built up and'before the upper end disk isplaced inposition and the core is subjected to th final compacting operation.These preliminary compacting operations may be readily performed byemploying a dummy upper end disk 1 and sleeves 39 of requisite length.

The core, eneaisksand mand'rel form assembled as above "described maythen be removed from the press and the core turned in a lathe to removeall excess projections and preferably make it of the same diameter asthe end disks, relative slipping of the laminations transversely of thecore being prevented by the compression under which the core is held bythe tie rods. A shell I which at this stage has an inner diameterslightly greater than the outer diameter of the core, say about 0.05inch greater, is then slipped over the core and the entire assemblypushed through an opening 43 of a suitably supported die 45, asillustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 3, to reduce the diameter of theshell and cause it intimately to contact with the core. For moving theassembly through the di opening a block 41 of sufficient diameter toengage both an end of the shell and the adjacent end disk is placedbetween the assembly and the head 49 of the hydraulic press which forcesthe assembly through the die opening. After the assembly is advanced foralmost its entire length through the die opening a smaller diameterblock may be substituted for the block 41 to permit the assembly to beentirely pushed through the die opening.

The above described reducing operation on the shell somewhat compressesthe laminations radially so that the outer diameter of the core betweenthe end disks becomes slightly less than the outer diameter of thosedisks as illustrated in Fig. 1, the laminations being compressed againstthe mandrel form to cause them tightly to lit and conform with saidform. When the cor is keyed to the mandrel, as illustrated by Figs. 10,11 and 12, this compression of the laminations causes the V-shapednotches in the laminations tightly to fit the key.

To compensate for the taper of the mandrel form the laminations asplaced on that form in the steps illustrated by Fig. are preferably soformed that groups of adjacent laminations contacting the mandrel formin the finished roll have mandrel receiving bores of diametercorresponding to the maximum diameter of the portion of the mandrel formwith which that group is to contact. The compression of the core by thereducing operation on the shell illustrated by Fig. 3 serves to causeall the laminations of each group to compress sufficiently to contactwith the mandrel form. The length of the portion of the mandrel formwith which each group contacts will depend upon the radialcompressibility of the material of the core. This length may be shorterfor aluminum laminations than for cardboard laminations, and may bestill shorter for mild steel laminations.

When the openings 11 are formed in the core those portions 5| (Figs. 4and 13) of the laminations which lie between such openings and theperipheries of the laminations are slightly depressed inwardly as aresult of th reducing operation on the shell, more than are thoseportions 53 of the laminations which lie between the opposed ends ofadjacent openings. This is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 13where, as a result of the reducing operation on the shell, the outerWalls of the openings I! ar pressed inwardly from their dotted linepositions 55 to their full line positions 51, causing the thickness T ofthe shell radially opposite the openings to be somewhat greater than thethickness t at points between the opposed ends of adjacent openings. Themetal of. the shell flows during the reducing operation so that theinner surface of the shell will conform to the outer surface of 6 thecore thus deformed, while its outer surface will be cylindrical asdetermined by the shape of the die opening through which the assembly isforced. As a result of this operation the outer surface of the core ismade roughly polygonal in cross-section while the inner surface of theshell is made of complementary shape, which acts to insure against anypossibility of angular slip between the shell and the core when the rollis in use, it being understood that when the roll is in use it is undervery great pressure. Furthermore, in these respects, the variouslaminations are not deformed to the same extent due to variations intheir thickness, temper, hardness,

and the like. As a result, after the reducing operation the outersurface of the core, particularly the portions opposite the opening ll,will be more or less irregular as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 14,which figure shows the outer surface of certain laminations formingrecesses 59 relative to projections 6| formed by the outer surface ofother laminations, while the shell is formed with recesses 63 in whichthese projections GI fit and with projections 65 projecting into therecesses 59, as a result of which the shell is locked against movementof the core axially thereof.

If desired, the laminations of which the core is formed may take theform of those shown by Figs. 6 and 7, in which form the laminations 61are so stamped out as to provide their peripheries, after the core isturned in the lathe, with a series of shallow recesses 69 andintervening projections H, illustrated on a larger scale in Fig. 7. Whenthe. laminations are assembled over the tie rods the core formed will beprovided with spaced longitudinally extending grooves and projectionscorresponding to the recesses and projections of the laminations. Whenthe shell is placed on the core and reduced the metal of the shell willflow as a result of the reducing operation and form projections i3filling these longitudinal grooves in the core, thus acting to lock thecore against angular slippage relative to the core. Otherwise the printroll may be constructed identically with those above described.

According to the modification of the invention shown by Figs. 8 and 9,the print roll is constructed identically with that described inconnection with Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 except that the laminations '15 areprovided with a series of flattened portions TI on their peripheries,shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 9. As a result, when the laminationsare assembled on the tie rods, a core is formed with spacedlongitudinally extending flattened outer surfaces, and, when the shellis placed over the core and reduced by passing the assembly through thedie opening, the metal of the shell will flow and fill what in substanceamount to recesses formed by these flattened surfaces, which will act tolock the shell against angular slippage relative to the core.

If desired, the core of the roll according to Figs. 6 and 7, and thataccording to Figs. 8 and 9, may also be formed with the openings llhereinbefore described, which will lighten the core adjacent itsperiphery and secure the additional effects described in connection withFigs. 13 and 14. Otherwise the roll according to both of thesemodifications may be constructed and manufactured the same way as theroll according to Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5.

The roll according to Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, and the roll according toFigs. 10, 11 and 12, particularly 15 when the laminations are formed ofcardboard,

'7 may also be formed by the method indicated by Fig. 16. According tothis method, the lower end disk l, with the tie rods 9 welded to it inthe manner herei-n'before described, is placed on the bed 3| of thepress with the shell I surrounding that disk. The laminations 5, havinga diameter slightly greater than the inner diameter of the shell, arethen successively .pushed into the shell one at a time. Because of theirhaving 'a greater diameter than the inner diameter of the :shell thiswill cause the laminations to be slightly cupped as indicated at 19(Fig. 16).. After :the shell is thus filled "with laminations the upper"end disk 7 may be placed in position as indicated in Fig. 16, and thepress head ll by means of a sleeve 39 placed between it and that endrdisk may be caused to descend to compress and flatten the laminationsto cause'them to bind tightly against the-shell, the mandrel form, andthe key or keyway of the mandrel form. As hereinbefore described, thepress head may then be locked and the upper projecting endsof the tierods 8 welded to the upper end disk while the lamina-- tions are underpressure. Instead of flattening all the laminations at once, andparticularly when the shell is of considerable length, a removable dummyend disk may be placed in the shell after about one-quarter of thelaminations are placed on it, and, by use of a longer sleeve 39 thanshown in Fig. 16, the dummy end disk may be placed under pressure toflatten the laminations and then be removed. This operation mayberepeated until the final fraction of the laminations is placed in theshell, whereuponthe end disk "I to be used'in the finished roll may beplaced in position and the laminationssubjected to the final compressingand flattening operation. The pressure 'employed for forcing the upperend disk into place may be-considerable, satisfactory results havingbeensecured with a shell 12 inches internal diameter-with a pressure ofabout 70 tons. Such pressure not only flattens the'cup-shaped-end disks,but actually tendsto cause them to expand after they are flattenedparticularly when the laminations" are formed-of cardboard, aluminum, orother relatively soft material. As the'upperend disk is weldedto-the tierods while the head of the press is locked to 'maintain this pressurethe core formed by the-laminations exerts such pressure against the;shell as to bind the core and shell together against relative :movementwhen :the roll is in use. The roll madeaccording to this last describedmethod preferably is formed 'with the openings I! for reducing theweight of its-portions adjacent itsperiphery. Such openingsalso act tocause the laminations at theirperiph'eries opposite the openings tobearresiliently against the inner wall of the shell with greatrpressure,particularly when the laminations-are'of :steel or other metal.

It will be understood that'withinthe scopeof the appended claims widedeviations may be made from the forms'of the invention described withoutdeparting from the'spiiit of :theinvention.

1, The'method of'formingaflprintiroll tor the like having a tubularmetal shell surrounding a laminated core, which method comprises forcinginto said shellfro'm one end thereof preformed flat bendable laminationsof greater diameter 'than the inner diameterof the shell to cause saidlaminations 'when'so entere'd into said shell to :be .cupp'ed with their:concave sides facing :saidend of the shell and with their peripheriesin slidable contact with the inner surface of the shell for slidinglongitudinally of the latter, and, after the laminations are so enteredinto the shell, subjecting the mass of cupped laminations to pressureapplied longitudinally of the shell over substantially the entiretransverse cross-section of said mass for moving individual laminationslongitudinally of the shell for compacting .said mass and for flatteningthe laminations for forcing their peripheries into intimate contact withthe inner surface of the shell whereby to bind the shell to the core.

2. The method of "forming a print .roll :or the like having a tubularmetalishell surrounding a laminated core, which method comprises forcinginto said shell from one end thereof preformed flat bendable laminationsof greater diameter than the inner diameter of the shell to causesa'idlaminations when so entered into said shell to be cupped with theirconcave sides facing said end of the shell and with their peripheries inslidable contact with the inner surface of the shell for slidinglongitudinally of the latter,.and, after the laminations are'so enteredinto the shell, subjecting the mass of cupped laminations to pressurefor compacting that mass comprising entering into the shell through the:end thereof through which said laminations were entered apresser'member substantially fitting the interior bore of the shell formoving the peripheral portions of the cupped laminations longitudinallyof the'shell to flatten saidlaminations andzforce their peripheriesintosintimate contact with the inner surface of the shell whereby tobind the shell to the core.

"3. The method of forming a print roll or the 'like having a tubularmetal shell surrounding a laminated core, which method comprises forcinginto said shell from :one end thereof :preformed fiat bendablelaminations of greater diameter than the inner diameter 'of the-shelltocause-said laminations when so entered into-said shell tobe thelaminations are:so entered into the shell,-subjecting the mass :ofcupped laminations to pressure for compacting that mass'comprisingenter- 'ingfinto the shell through the-end thereof through which saidlaminations-were entereda fiat faced :presser -member substantiallyfitting the interior bore of theashell t'for moving :the peripheralportions of the cupped laminations longitudinally of the :shellto'flatten .said :laminations and 'force their :peripheries intointimate contact with the inner :surfaceof the .shell whereby to bindthe shell to the core.

'4. .The method of formingva print rollor the like havinga tubularmetalshell surroundings,

laminated core, which method comprises forcing into said shell from oneend thereof preformed fiat bendable :laminations 'of greater diameterthanthe inner diameter of the shell to cause said laminations'when -soentered into-said shell'to -be cupped with their concave sides facingsaidend of the shell and 'with their peripheries in slidable contactwith "the'inner surface of the shell for sliding longitudinally Of thelatter, .providing rig-id =end -members a for the core formed by thelaminations, which-end members fit the inner .surface .of the shell andlatrleast one-of which iseslidablelongitudinally of theshell, pressingsaid end members relatively toward each other for applying pressure tothe mass of cupped laminations within the shell over substantially theentire transverse crosssecti0n of said mass for moving individuallaminations longitudinally of the shell for compacting-j said mass andfor flattening the laminationsifor forcing their peripheries intointimate contact with the innersurface of said shell, and whillthe massof laminations is thus placed under pressure tying said end members toeach otherff'for maintaining such pressure whereby to insure permanentbinding of the shell to the core;

5. The method of forming a print roll or the like having a tubular metalshell surrounding a laminated core, which method comprises forcing intosaid shell from'one end thereof preformed fiat bendable laminations ofgreater diameter than the inner diam"ter of the shell to cause saidlaminations when s ntered into said shell to be cupped with the concavesides facing said end of the shell an with their peripheries in slidablecontact wi the inner surface of the shell for sliding longitudinally ofthe latter, providing rigid end members for the core formed by thelaminations, which end members fit the inner surface of the shell and atleast the one of which positioned at the endl-of the shell through whichthe laminations are'entered is slidable longitudinally of the shell,pressing the last mentioned end member toward the end member positionedat the opposite end'of the shell for moving the peripheral portions ofthe cupped laminations longitudinally of the shell to flatten saidlaminas tions and force their peripheries into intimate contact with theinner surface of the shell and for compacting the mass of laminationswithin the shell, and while'the mass of laminations is thus placed underpressure tying said end members to each other for maintaining suchpressure whereby to insure permanent binding of the shell to the core.

6,. The method according to claim 1 in which the laminations areprovided with central openings through which extends a mandrelpositioned axially of the shell, the operation of flattening the cuppedlaminations also forcing the walls of :said openings into intimatecontact with said mandrel.

7. The method according to claim 4 in which the laminations are providedwith central openings through which extends a mandrel extending throughand fitting central openings in the end members for positioning saidmandrel axially of the shell, the operation of flattening the cuppedlaminations also forcing the walls of the central openings of saidlaminations into intimate contact with said mandrel.

JOSEPH M. GOULDING.

REFERENCES crrEn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Feb. 29, 1936

